1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control device and a control method for a four-wheel drive vehicle. Particularly, the present invention relates to a control device and a control method of a four-wheel drive vehicle including transmissions provided on a power transmission path between an engine and a main drive wheel and a power transmission path between the engine and a subsidiary drive wheel, and a connection-disconnection mechanism which is provided on the power transmission path between the transmission and the subsidiary drive wheel and selectively connects and disconnects the power transmission path.
2. Description of Related Art
A vehicle is known, which performs inertia traveling in a state where a transmission provided between an engine and a drive wheel is set to be neutral, that is, performs so-called neutral inertia traveling when a predetermined condition is satisfied during the traveling of the vehicle. As an example, there is a control device of a vehicle disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-47148 (JP 2012-47148 A). In the vehicle disclosed in JP 2012-47148 A, when a predetermined condition is satisfied, a clutch provided in a transmission is disconnected while an engine is stopped, and thus, the vehicle travels by inertia. In the neutral inertia traveling, traveling resistance is decreased by disconnecting a power transmission path between the engine and the drive wheel, and re-acceleration timing is delayed by stepping on an accelerator according to the deceleration of the vehicle. Accordingly, fuel efficiency is improved.